Movable file tray



25, 1970 R. c. ROBINSON 3,525,559

' MOVABLE FILE TRAY I Filed Sept. 25, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 82 5 as 5 65 80. 1. l M. l

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RAYMOND ROBINSON AT ORNEYS Aug. 25, 176

R. C. ROBINSON MOVABLE FILE TRAY Filed Sept. 25, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

RAYMOND C. ROBINSON 0 TQRNEY;

United States Patent 3,525,559 MOVABLE FILE TRAY Raymond C. Robinson, 810 4th St. NW., Austin, Minn. 55912 Filed Sept. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 762,489 Int. Cl. A47b 63/00 US. Cl. 312183 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A movable file tray for holding a plurality of rows of chronologically filed cards with means thereon for advancing the rows of cards so that certain of the cards may be removed periodically and others added to the tray to keep a current log of information. The movable file tray includes a bottom frame with a continuous card carrier and an intermittent drive mechanism which advances the continuous carrier with the cards thereon selectively.

My invention relates to a movable file tray and more particularly to a movable file tray in which a plurality of cards or sheets are positioned therein and adapted to be advanced within the tray so that certain of the cards or sheets may be periodically removed and others added.

Trays or cabinets for filing and holding for storage of cards or sheets with information thereon have taken a variety of forms depending upon the type of usage to be made of the same. Similarly, card holders, such as order holders, have been made movable for the purpose of advancing orders in a chronological or particular man ner. The problem of maintaining current schedules, such as for appointments or events in a chronological order for handy reference and usage, is one not solved by existing filing or storage equipment. In the present invention, an improved movable file tray is provided which will hold a plurality of daily appointment cards in a row for easy reference, with such appointment cards being advanced in the tray a predetermined distance so that a particular card may be brought to a daily reference position as previously used ones are removed and new cards added. This improved movable file tray includes provisions for storing a plurality of rows of such cards, such as for different persons or usages on a chronological basis with provisions for removing cards and advancing the remaining cards in the row simultaneously and through a single actuating mechanism so that new cards may be added to the respective rows for future information storage. In particular, appointment schedules for doctors, or similar professional capacities, are kept over an extended period and on an hourly or semi-hourly basis. Such a file would have divisions or separations for the appointment schedules for a plurality of persons and each daily schedule would be removed as it is being used and a card for future appointments would be added to the file to maintain a chronological order. The individual cards are adapted to be positioned in the file tray in a staggered relationship in rows so that each individual card may be viewed or partially viewed as to notations thereon with the cards readily removed from the tray and re-inserted to add information. The improved file tray has a mechanism. for supporting all cards on either side of a plurality of dividers on the continuous carrier which is adapted to be selectively advanced a predetermined distance, such as on a daily basis to bring the current card into viewing position and to facilitate removal of the previous card.

Therefore, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved movable file tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a file tray of this type an arrangement by which cards may be selectively removed or added and the entire group of ice cards in the tray moved periodically and selectively to maintain them in a current or predetermined relationship.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved file tray particularly adapted for use in keeping appointment schedules in a chronological order and easily usable for viewing, adding information thereon and removing cards.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved movable file tray which employs a continuous card carrier with provisions for mounting notched cards thereon so that they may be readily moved within the tray, easily removed to add or remove information therefrom and easily removed or added to the tray to maintain a particular relationship between cards in the tray.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached description together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved movable file tray;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the movable file tray of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the movable file tray of FIG. 2 taken along the lines 33 therein;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the movable file tray of FIG. 3 taken along the lines 4-4 therein;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the movable file tray of FIG. 2 taken along the lines 5-5 therein; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a plurality of cards or sheets of the type used in the improved movable file tray shown in a stacked relationship.

My improved movable file tray is shown in the drawings as incorporating a frame or container 10' having side walls 12, a bottom wall 14 and a plurality of end walls 16 and 18, respectively. The sides and bottom wall may be formed of a sheet of metal or other suitable material bent in a general channel-like construction, with the end caps or walls 16 and 18 suitably secured thereto. Such a tray structure may be formed from a single metal sheet stamped or bent to form the general configuration which is open at the top and has a recess or cavity for filing therein. The side walls 12 may include rest or guide plates 20 formed integral therewith or as an extension of the wall or separate pieces suitably secured thereto for the purpose of supporting cards, such as is indicated at 30, such that a portion of the card will be positioned within the cavity or recess of the frame and with a portion extending above the end, side and walls for viewing purposes.

Positioned over the bottom wall 14 and between the side walls 12 of the frame or container forming the tray is the mounting frame 40 for the card carrying portion of the movable file tray. As will be seen in FIG. 4, this structure is formed from an inverted channel-shaped member 41 having side flanges 43 extending from the same and a width dimension to fit Within the main frame so that the side flanges bear against the same. The frame 40 is positioned slightly above the bottom wall 14 and is secured at the side flanges through bolts or metal screws 44 in this position. The inverted channel has slots 45 in one end of the same and slots 46 extending from the bottom of the same in which are mounted a pair of axles 47, 48, respectively. Each of the axles mount sprocket wheels 50 at the ends of the same, the sprocket Wheels being suitably secured to the axles and journaled in the channel member for rotation therein. The sprockets or teeth 52 on the sprocket wheels are equidistantly spaced and the sprocket wheels 50 are identical. Positioned on the sprocket wheels are chains 55, 56, respectively, which fit over the toothed sprocket wheels and ride thereon. The chains, similar to a bicycle chain, are continuous and are of such length that they are relatively taut when mounted on the sprocket wheels on either side of the frame 40. Positioned along the chain or the lengths 3 thereof are a plurality of flanges 60 or tabs which are suitably connected to the chain lengths through means (not shown) and each of the flanges extend outwardly or transversely and have suitable apertures 62 therein. With the lengths of the chains aligned on the respective sprocket wheels and the sprockets aligned, the flanges are positioned opposite one another on the sides of the frame or tray and suitable supporting rods 65 are positioned through the holes in the flanges to extend substantially normal to the side walls and parallel to one another around the entire movable frame. The movable frame or the channel member through the side flanges 43 is connected to the side walls so that suitable spacing is provided for clearance with the flanges and rods on the bottom side of the frame or that portion adjacent the bottom wall 14 to provide a continuous carrier which will be rotated with sprocket wheel movement advancing the rods from one end of the movable tray to the other.

As will be seen in FIG. 6, the movable file tray is adapted to receive and mount cards of the type shown at 30 in FIG. 6. The cards may contain any information or spacing thereon and any information may be written on the same depending on the intended usage of the cards. Each of the cards, however, will have a plurality of notches or recesses 72 on one edge of the same with the distance between the notches on the cards bearing a direct relationship between the spacing of the rods 65 on the continuous carrier. Thus, the ratio may be 1-1 or any multiple of one, such as 1-2, 1-3 or l-4. This will permit cards to be positioned on the continuous carrier in such a manner that there will always be a recess 72 or notch in the edge of the same adjacent a rod so that a card will rest on the continuous carrier with the recesses positioned over a rod and supported thereon.

Positioned in one of the end caps or walls 16 is an actuator lever 80 for the movable file tray. As will be seen in the sectional view of FIG. 5, the lever is an elongated member 82 having a button or grip 84 at one end of the same and a shoulder 85 near the button extremity. The foot or opposite extremity of the lever has a curved portion 86 with a notch 87 at the end of the same. The lever is mounted in a suitable slot 88 in the end wall or cap 16 and is biased or connected to the end cap by means of a spring 89 which is connected to the lever intermediate its extent and secured to the end cap as at 90. This will bias the lever to an upper or raised position and the lever may be deflected down to the button or cap portion of the same by purging it downward within the end cap. With the end cap positioned in the frame, that is secured to the side walls, the foot extremity 86 will be positioned adjacent one end of the continuous carrier to contact a rod member extending between the chains. As it is deflected, the rod member will slide into the notch 87 as the lever pivots slightly with the curved portion engaging the rod and further movement of the lever 84 in a downward direction will cause the rod and hence the chains to which the rod is connected to advance on the sprocket wheels rotating the sprocket wheels. The movement of the lever 82 will cause movement of the sprocket wheels a distance sufiicient to advance the respective rods one rod spacing relative to the frame mounted therein from one end of the mova-ble file tray toward the other. Similarly, cards mounted thereon will also be advanced since they ride on the rods at their respective notches 72.

While I have shown the simple mechanical actuator as a lever slidably mounted within the end wall, it will be recognized that the lever may be mounted in any position and suitable actuating means may be substituted therefore, such as a motor clutch arrangement directly connected to one of the axles, or a knob on one of the axles for similarly advancing the continuous carrier at predetermined distance. Also positioned within the recess of the movable file tray and connected to the end walls 16, 18 thereof are a plurality of divider plates 100 each of which have pivot pins 102 at one edge of the same which are positioned in apertures or holes 104 in the respective end walls and aligned with the side walls so that the divider plates are parallel to one another. These are mounted above the continuous carrier and out of contact with the rods thereon such that cards may be positioned on either side of the divider members and movement of the continuous carrier, that is the sprocket wheels, chains and rods will not be impeded or in contact with the divider plates.

My improved movable file tray is particularly applicable to the storage and handling of cards or records which are desired to be kept in a chronological order and from which cards will be periodically removed and others added to maintain this order. As an example, it is particularly applicable for appointment cards for doctors or professional people where appointment records are kept on an hourly or fractional hourly basis with each days record being kept separate so that on the particular day, the appointment schedule may be removed from the file for usage. The improved movable file tray may handle a number of cards sufficient to cover a several week period and the dividers permit the similar appointment schedule for a plurality of persons on a daily or chronological basis. Periodically, for example, on each day, where daily appointment schedules are used, the tray will be advanced so that the current date will be moved to an end position in the tray file and the cards therein removed for usage at that day. Future appointment cards will be added at the other end of the file in the same chronological order and the movable file tray permits the tilting of the cards so that they may be viewed for the schedules written thereon or removed to add material or appointments to these individaul schedule cards. Thus, as will be seen in FIG. 6, the cards may be positioned in a stacked or staggered relationship each one offset from the other a predetermined distance to disclose information thereon, such as a calendar day, and with a plurality of such cards being distributed along the carrier and between dividers so that an appointment schedule may be maintained for a given person over an extended period. This eliminates the manual handling of a plurality of cards, large schedule sheets or a bound book which requires turning of pages.

While I have described as a usage for my improved movable file tray the keeping of appointment schedules on individual cards, it will be recognized that any type of information may be positioned on such cards and the cards arranged in any order. The movable file tray permits the advancing of cards within the tray and on either side of the divider plates periodically through manual actuation or other means such as motive means for any desired purpose.

In considering this invention it should be remembered that the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative only and the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A movable file tray comprising, a tray having enclosed side and end walls with an open top, a bottom frame secured to the side walls and including journaled axles at the ends of the same, a continuous card carrier mounted on the journaled axles in the ends of the bottom frame, means on the continuous carrier for supporting and carrying cards adapted to be put into the tray, divider means mounted on the end walls of the tray and positioned above the bottom frame and the continuous carrier, and means selectively connected to the continuous carrier for advancing the same a predetermined distance in stepped intervals to advance cards adapted to be mounted thereon on either side of the divider means from one end of the tray to the other end of the tray.

2. The movable file tray of claim 1 in which the continuous card carrier includes drive means mounted on the ends of the axles and a continuous belt mounted on the drive means on either side of the tray with means extending between the belts for supporting cards.

3. The movable file tray of claim 2 in which the drive means are sprocket wheels and the continuous belts are chains with flanged tabs thereon and in which the chains are mounted on the respective sprockets oneach side of said tray and including supporting rods extending between the flanged tabs to provide the means extending between the chains for supporting the cards.

4. The movable file tray of claim 3 in which the means selectively connected to the continuous carrier is a slidably mounted lever positioned in an end wall of the tray and adapted to engage a supporting rod on the continuous carrier to advance the chain on the sprocket selectively.

5. The movable file tray of claim 1 in which the plurality of divider means are a plurality of elongated plates each having pivot means at one extremity thereof pivotally mounted in the end walls of the tray at the bottom frame and clear of the same such that the plates may pivot relative to the frame and to one another,

6. The movable file tray of claim 2 and including a plurality of cards each having a plurality of recesses on one edge of the same adapted to be positioned into the movable tray file on either side of the divider means and staggered relative to one another along the length of the tray such that the cards may be positioned on the supporting means for the continuous carrier and moved with movement of the same from one end of the tray to the other in stepped sequence.

7. The movable file tray of claim 6 in which the continuous card carrier includes drive means mounted on the axles of the bottom frame on either side of the same and with rod means extending between the drive means forming the supporting and carrying means for the cards and in which the rods have a diametrical dimension less than the width dimension of the recess in one edge of the cards.

8. The movable file tray of claim 1 in which the bottom frame includes a flat surface with downwardly extending flange sections with the journaled axles being mounted in the downwardly extending flange sections and with continuous belt means mounted at the extremities of the journaled axles and having card supporting means extending between the continuous belt means and across and above the flat surface of the bottom frame.

9. The movable file tray of claim 8 in which the selectively connected means is a drive member positioned adjacent one of the journaled axles in one end of the movable file tray and engageable with a rod means extending between the continuous belts of the carrier at the extremities of the axles at a location adjacent said one of said axles to intermittently contact the same and advance the continuous carrier a predetermined interval with each operation of the drive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,662,528 12/1953 Herzog 312-183 X 2,729,531 1/1956 Andersen 312--268 2,781,945 2/1957 Skold 312-97 X 2,784,045 3/1957 Deormaetxea et al. 312-183 X 2,806,631 9/ 1957 Van Vactor 31297 X 3,042,472 7/1962 Ibel 312-268 DENNIS a IAY Q Primary e? 

